Turns out you can get better at trail running… even if you don’t run that often 🫣 Back in the spring, I set a goal to be able to run my favorite 6–8 mile hiking trails. The reason? In this season of life, working a full-time job and mama to a 2-year-old, I just don’t have as much time on the trails as I used to. Climbing has been my priority, but running became my backup plan for those rare pockets of free time when I couldn’t find a climbing partner. Usually, that means one longer run on the weekend. Last weekend, one of my close friends (and former PCT “tramily” member) came to visit. We decided to squeeze in a run I’d been thinking about before she had to rush back to Denver to catch a flight. At 6 a.m., we hit the trail for 9 miles, mostly above 11k feet. Getting back out there together and pushing ourselves felt like a little return to the magic that the PCT holds in my heart. And somewhere in those 9 miles, something shifted. I gave myself permission to power hike the uphill...